By cutting off the Boston Bruins’ defense of the 2011 Stanley Cup title, the Washington Capitals became the fourth team to eliminate the Spoked-Bs from the playoffs in the Claude Julien era.
It was, most naturally, a sweet moment at the time for the Caps. But if Julien’s pupils can evoke a new batch of a rematch formula from past seasons, facing Boston could turn sour in the follow-up campaign.
All the Capitals need to do is consult the previous three teams who beat the Bruins in the latter half of April or the halfway mark of May.
Between the Montreal Canadiens (2008), Carolina Hurricanes (2009) and Philadelphia Flyers (2010), Boston’s current core has posted a cumulative 11-1-2 record in the season series following their elimination from the playoffs.
The Bruins have twice clinched their next playoff berth with a win over the team that ended their preceding postseason and twice swept the same team that knocked them off in Game 7 just 12 months earlier.
While the past can never hold unassisted sway on the present, a recurring pattern like this is worth noting and watching for again as the Bruin ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Al Daniel
Boston Bruins: Can They Turn the Tables on Washington Like Past Nemeses?
March 5th, 2013 by Al Daniel Leave a reply »
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